HAND BATIK PRINTING

  • Introduction:
Batik Printing is an art of decorating the cloth. It is believed that the word Batik is derived from the word ‘Ambati’; means ‘a cloth with little dots’ and ‘tik’ means little dot, drop, point or to make dots.
Batik is Resist type of Hand Block Printing, where in Dyes are allowed to seep through cracks in wax which acts as a resist to dye. Batik art involves three stages such as waxing, dyeing and dewaxing (removing the wax).
  • Tools and Materials:
Wooden printing blocks, Dyeing Vats, Batik Wax, Customized Tool: Small pen like tool is used to apply the colour; Cotton Fabric, Water, A container, which holds the molten wax; Table. Wax (Bee Wax + Paraffin Wax) are the main wax used for Batik Printing.
  • Process:
  • Firstly, a plain cotton cloth is prepared, and the designs are traced on it.
  • Then, Waxing the area of the cloth that does not need dyeing is done.
  • This Waxing is done by dipping beautifully carved wooden block in melted wax. The design is also done with Kalamkari Pen.
  • After the melted wax is applied, the cloth is dipped in the prepared dye.
  • The last step of batik printing is boiling the cloth to remove wax.
  • The cracked effect is due to colour seeping through fine cracks in the Wax. Hence, this is called Wax Batik Printing.
  • Products: Dress Materials, Sarees, Dupatta, Bedsheets etc.
Multi Color Batik Printing involves repetition of whole Wax Batik Printing process all over again for each color. The process involves double the labor, material and time. Multi-Color Batiks are hence rare and costly.
Authenticity of Wax Batik Print can be verified by sensing the smell of wax before wash and often flex of residual wax can be observed on fresh fabric.
Thank You for Patronizing Arts and Crafts of Kutch and the craftsmen of the Kutch.
May the Traditions of our country live indefinitely, enriching our lives.

 

Khanjan Mankad

M: 9426813531